Electric switch



May 22, 1923 W. T. PRENGLE ELECTRI Filed April 9, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet from@ ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed April 9, 1919 2 Sheets-@heet 2 'i Patented Msy 22, 19.23,.

IuNi'ri-:ns'm'rizs 'PATENT O FFi'CE.

WILLIAM T. In'INGiLIi, OFPHILADELPIIIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIGNoIi. To v. v. FITTINGS COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA.; y

' I 'ELECTRIC vApplication led April 9,

T o all "wh-amy z'f may coito-qui:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM PB INGLE, a citiien' of the United States, residing in Philadelphia.,` Pennsylvania, have invented 6 Electric Switches, of which the following;`

3.0. is maintained ina closed lcondition, pre- -yenting'access to the switching apparatus,

-un'tilftlie Aswitch operating element has Abeen ...-iiioved "to such -a position as to open the switch and .thus cut O 'current from part M ofsaid apparatus andfroin the line or elecltroreceptive d device *connected thereto the invention,` .further contemplating such an.--

SWITCH.

1919. .seriai No. 288,806.

Fig. 3 is a plan of theapparatus'shownl in Iigs. 1 and 2; i 111g. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section, partly in side elevation, further illustrating the invention; and Figa 5 is an inverted plan, partly in Section on the1ine'5-5, Fig. 4.

art of itsen.- l 1n accordance In the above drawings, l represents -a box 2o isopen.4

arrangement of parts'a's' willA prevent the of generally rectangular section, having a. switch being closed as long-,asthe container cover-'2 in the form of a flat plate pivotally e f connected toA it at one corner by a screw y ai; viile-a-.povelconstruction.of container cloi Another object t-l ofiny. inventioiiis to 'providefa novel combinat'on of'switch operating"'member and. elo vd-.eontain'er in which is mountedra switchfactuatedby said er, member, whereby .the latter may bev moved at willitojopenor'close the`switcl1 as long as the closure is in suchposition as to prevent acces's tozsaid switch or to certain couductorsfconnected. thereto, but will be ab. held from movement after being brought tqa position in -which the switchvis open, as long asaor wlieneverithev closure occupies any other position. Y i i Another ob'eet of my'invention is to `prosure lformed 'with an1 opening in which a switch operatingmemb'er shall be freely movable as long as the closure is 1n posi- .tion -to prevent access to the switch or its .u associatedv conductors;l the inventioncontemplating also ,a combination of switch operatng member and container whereby .-when the Aformer has been moved ,to such '.'poslition'as to I g5 to exposethe interior of the container, said rmit shifting of the closure member will be retained in this position. until thefclosure member has ,been again moved into. position to allow of the oper-at# ing-member being entered in and movedV 5 0 through Seid Opening of this cover.

These Objects and other advantageous ends'l 'attain as hereinafter set forth, refer..

o'r bolt 3 whereby it is [left free to swing n' its own "plane, i. e.,-the plane of the top or open sideof Athe box, within certain definite limits defined by stops hereafter referred to. of one side, is provided with a perforated lug;V 4, designed to cooperate with a. second 'and siiiilar lug 5 carried at one corner of the cover. for the `reception of a vpadlock Said box, at the upper cornerl whereby said hcoter may be retained in a position closing the opening into the box. .Said first lug also serves to limit movement of the cover in one direction so that at the.

end of such movement it lies over and closes ,the otherwise open face of the box.

Within the switch -boa is mounted an insulating slab or base 6 of marble, slate or the like, preferably lying in a plane parallel with the cover, and in the case illustrated, spaced away from the same by a distance somewhat greater than its distance from the bottom of the box so asto form two chambers or. compartments. Mounted on the under side of the base 6 so as to pro.

ject into the chamber formed bythespace between said base and the box bottom areA one oi' any number of pairs of switch ter.

said blades is pivoted between the clips of one of the terminals 7 and is of suchV e.v

'length as to removably tit between 4the clips' stantially at right angles to the plane of the of-the terminal 8 so as to make electrical side of the box and' connected to'said'mem-A connection therewith. In the present case ber by a pin or bolt 26. The side of the box the terminals 8 each has fixed to or formed adjacent which said lever operates is formed as part of it a projecting portion 10 `fior-.the with a slot or recess 27 pro ecting downreception of a screw or bolt whereby a' wardly at an angle from and oriining a concable terminal or other form of electric-al ti'nuation of the entrance opening-24 into the conductor may be connected at will.A f,

slot 23 of the cover, andthe bottom of this On the opposite or upper side of the-inrecess 27 -forms a'stop to limit movement of sulating base or plate 6 are mounted a numthe handle 25 and therefore of the operatber of\r pairs, of fuse-receiving contacts ing member 19in one direction the .movecorresponding; inl number to ,the ment in the opposite direction being limited number ofsets of switcl ontacts 7-8. O bv the. engagement of the pin 26 with the 'these fusecontacts, those indicated at 13 are edgeo the cover 2. This pin alsoenters a in permanent electrical connection with the slot in theside of the boxY so as to prevent y 'switch terminals or contacts 7 by means of its being raised. The arrangement of parts screws o r. other forms of metallic conductors is such that when said handle and there- 14, extending through the base 6, and the fore the pin 26 connecting its body portion .terminals or contacts 12 have projecting to the switch-operating member-19, rests at portions 15 for: the reception of screws or the bottom of the recess 27, the movable bolts 16 whereby cable terminals or elecswitch elements formed by theblades 9 are trieal'conductors may be placed in electrical in their open position, i. e.,-out of contact connectionwith them.

. -with and distant from the 4clips of the ter' In accordance w'ith my -invention, all ofv minals 8, and on the other hand,- when the the switch blades9.A are mechanically conhandle'25 and therefore the switch operatnected byva bar. 17 of insulating material eX- ing member 19 occupies the lother extreme` tending acrossthem'and preferably having of its path of movement, as shown in Fig. at its ends trunnion-like projections 18 de- 4, in full lines, so that said pin rests on the signed in the ca'se illustrated, to be detacliedge of the cover 2 adjacent onfeend of the ably engaged by a switch operating memlslot therein, the switch blades 9 are in enbei' 19. This latter has 'the form of an elongagement -and make electrical connection.

-{,{atedstripor plate of relatively stiff metal with, the switch .terminals 8.

bent to provide two substantially parallel According tomy invention, the mounting end portlons of unequal lengths projecting and construction of the switch` operating.

substantially at right angles to an intermember 19 are such that when it occupies a mediate portion which is parallel with theposition corresponding to the closed posibar 17. Said end portions of the operatingtion of the switch blades, vit projects up member are pivotally connected to the opthrough the slot 23 in the cover 2 'and thus y posite sides respectively of, the Vbox 1 by effectually locks it so as to prevent its swingrivets' or other equivalentdevices20 and the ing on the pivot 3. This same condition longer one of -said arms-extendsbeyond its holds until the switch operating member pivot so as to project above the plane of the has been -so` moved that its upper end lies cover 2 when in certain positions although wholly below-[the plane of movement of the I immediately adjacent on it is movable into a position below this cover 2 with its pin or spindle 26 resting plane. A upon tliebottom of the recess 27 in the The side portions of the switch operating member 19 have downwardly elongated edge blades 9 in the case shown are disengaged recesses or slots 21 formed between their` from the switch terminals 8. pivots and the ends of the intermediate vpor- As a result of this construction it is manition.' for the reception of the trunnions' 1S festly impossible t0 openthebox 1 by moveof the switch blade-connecting bar 17 so as merit of the closure 2 as long as the switch to permit of the operative connection of this is closed, although such opening may be latter and the operating member regardless readily accomplished by swinging the cover of the fact that the lin' of the pivots 22 for on its pivot 3 as soon :as the switch operating the switcli blades 9 is parallel but not coinmember has been mo'ed to the position cident with the line of th'epivots 20. The shownin dotted linesin Fig. 4, in which the long arm lof the operatiigfghem'ber lextends switch blades 9 are'out of contact with the lo -tlie sides of the termin'als 8. Moreover., when said operatbox 1 within the same', and to l.permit of its ing member 19 and handle 25 occupy these projection outside of the box-under certain latter positions, they cannot be moved-thereconditions, the''cove'i` v2 is formed with an from as long as the cover 2 occupies any po.

side of the box, at which time the switch" elongated slot 23 having near `one end an en- .sition other than one in which the box is abtrance opening 24. t I solutely closed. Y Theswitch operating member19 has an In order to prevent said covr'2 being actuating handle 25 proJecting in a line sub: swung so far on its pivot 3 as to free the operating handle and permit closureA of the switch while the cover was open, the latter 'has a stop Q8 in the form of a pro'ectionextending downwardly from its un er-side at a point adjacent its lug 5; which projection engages the vertical'side 29 of the box when the cover '2has been swung onits .pivot stifswitch terminals 8 are customarily connected to the line or other source of current supply.- so that they are at all times alivc, andv consequentlywhen the switch is closed current .is free to flow through the'vvswitch sii-itch -operating incinberl) hasbeencmove'd blades 9 to' the fuse terminals 13, thence through the fuses :r to'the fuse clips 12 and to any electrical apparatus connected.v

to the terminals 415. TVhen however the to such positio1i ,as to'o enthc switch, cur- -rent -is thereupon cut o from the fuses and fuse terminals; and'sinc'vundentheseconL ditions said -terminals caimotbealive or is obvious that fuse terminals may be safely exposed andfhandled-w'vithout 'danger. It is therefore under these conditions that the box cover may be freely opened, and in accordance withuiny invention, it is `an impossibility to again close-thejswitch so as to'supply cirrent to these fuse terminals-without first replacing said cover in its closed position so that access to the'fuses or the fuse terminals cannot be had. Iclaim: A 4

l.-Tlie combination in :i safety devi@l a box: a sltlablc cover therefor having a`re cess: :i switch in the box: and au operating mex'nbei for the switch having a portion outside the box positioned toextendinto said'reeess of the'cover to lock. the sanne closed when the switch-is closed. i'

'lhe combination in :i safetydev'ioc of a box: a switch mounted in the box: a handle constituting an operating member for said switch: and a cover for the box formed to prevent movement. of the operating member to a position 'to close the switch except when said cover is in a position to fully close the box, said cover being recessed 1n the. piath of movement. ofthe o J- ei'ating member tti-permit actuati'oiL-of'tle'A ficientlv far to expose thefuse clips or. ter' 4. The combination in a safety device of a box; a covertherefor having atrecess; a Aswitch in the box; and operating means for -the switch includingan, arm out-side of the -box formed to enter the'recess 'ofthe cover V to lock the .latter in its box` closing position when the switch is closed. l

The combinationin a safety device of 'a box; a cover therefor havinga recess; al

switch in thelbox; 'and operating means for the switch including `an external handle fcrmedofenterfthe recess'of the cover to lock the latterlvn its box closing Aposition when the switch closed; said 'coverv being switch open when-the covenoccu ies any position other thanone. closin 't 1e born-- 6. The combination in a saety -device of a. box; a plate of insulating material mounted in said box todiv'ide it lntoztwo-chambers; a cover for the box movable to permit access to one of said cliax'nbers and havin a recess; a switch having its movablemem r formed to lock said armfin position with the/ in thasqcond'of said chambers; fuseitermi# nals in tllejirstjcliainber-;andfopeiating 'means -for' the :switch including ais-'member 7.','The combination-iin asafety device "of a' box; a platebfiisulatng material mountoperating with'had cover to lock the switch in an open :positionaus long as the cover is .open sutliciently to permit-otl access to the fuse chamber. 8. The combination of. a box; a plate of insulating material 'mounted therein and dividingl the `interior of the -box into two chambers; al switch mounted on the plate within one of said chambers; fuse terminals also mounted on said plate within the second chamber and electrically connected to said switch; a cover foi-'thc fuse containing chambe; switchfoperating means including a member liaving' portion movable into latter when said cover fully closes the box." the path of movement of said cover, the

3. 'lhe combination in a safety device of a box; a cover therefor having a recess; a switch in the. box: means for actuating the switch including an oscillatory handle posi; tioned to enter the recess of the cover and close the switch'only when the cover occupics a box closing position.

latter being recessed to permit of the mem;

, ber being moved'into a position tofclose the switch a'nd .occupying a position, when the `fuse chamber is open, to retain said member in a position with the switch open.

iii-connection 'with the swfitfcliiffterminals '8,' POSId tOi-entlthe-lss V(5f the @over which are enclosed and protected within the -chamber formed by the base or barrier'", it

rmit acce A'to'A one'fof Ysaid ffchambers and aving a' recess; n sgvitchhavmg its movable mene' 9. The combination in a safety device of aD box; 'a switch therein; an operating handle 130 havingna portion projecting outside of the same when the switch is closed; and a cover for the box .held from movement by said portion as long'as it projects from the box, the

latter being cut away to permit of movement of the member to a switch openinglpositionk tively connected to said blades, said arm being positioned to enter the recess of the cover` and the cover being externally formed to lock said member in suoli position when moved to a position to open the box. l

11. The combination in a safety device of a box having an opening; a substantially fiat cover. for the opening mounted to be movable in its own plane and formed with a recess in its external'edge; a switch inthe. box; with an operating member for thev switch movable in a plane intersecting the' plane of movement of the cover and formed -to cnt-ei' the recess of thel latter to lock it from movement as long asl/the switch is 1 I. closed.

12. The combinationof abox; a recessed p plate-forming a cover orthebox and Apivoted thereto; aswitch in'- the box;an operating member'for the switch movable at right angles to the plane'of movement of` said plate and formed to enter the-recess thereof when occupying 'a position corre` sponding to the closed position of the switch.

13. The combination in a safety .device of' a box having a recess in one side; a switch inthe box; means for operating the lswitch including an arm projecting outside of the box when the' switch is closed and having a handle entering the recess of said box when the switch is open; 'with a cover (for the box having a recess placed toreceive said arm` 'when this is in a switch closing position,

said recess at such time communicating with. the recess of the box to permit movement of.

' the arm and-its handle into and out of a switch opening osition.

14. -The combination of a box having a recess in one side; a cover for the box having a slot communicating with said recess when the cover is closed; a switch in the blades pivotally mounted in the box; an operating arin pivoted in the box and operawhen the latter and the switch are'closed, while being held by the cover from movement when occupying a position; with the switch open. l V l 16. The combination of a `pox having a recessed'cover; -a switch mounted in the box; and 4switch operatingparm' mounted in osition forits end to eiiter the recess o the cover to lock it'in place as long as the switch isclose. c. v

-17. T ecombination of 'a lcontainer having a slidable cover;a barrierdividing the' container into chambers; a switch in one of said chambers; fuse terminalsi'n the-otherV chamber positioned to be exposed when the cover is open; and switch-operatin means including a handle projecting outsi e of the container and positioned to lock the cover closed until the switchis opened.

18. The lcombination of a container hav-i ing a slidable cover; an insulating base therein; a switch mounted on and enclosed within' the container bysaid base;terminals positioned on the base to be accessible when the cover is in an open position; and ,means for controlling the switch including a swinging operating-'arm interposed in the path of movementl oi the cover when this is in its closed position and the switch is closed, said.

arm releasing the cover when moved to a switch-opening position.

In witness whereof I aiiix my signature.

WILL-IAM rr. PinNGLE. 

